Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original cahracters they belong to JK Rowling. Anything else is mine unless it isn't.
Chapter 5: Tell me...
"Tell me before I waltz out of your life
Before turning my back on the past
Forgive my impertant behavior
But how long do you think this pantomime can last?" Waltz for Che and Eva from the musical Evita by the wonderful composer/writer team of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.
June 26, 2002(A day before Hermione's wedding)
"Harry, didn't you promise Hermione that you would go to the wedding?" Ron asked
"Yes I did." Harry answered curtly
"Okay, one problem, we leave tomorrow. How are you going to be there and gone at the same time, and please don't say a time turner. I can't stand those things." Ron said as he was reminded of the incident in their third year.
"For one, we aren't leaving until mid afternoon. For two I only promised I would stop by, I never said I would stay."
"Does Devon know this? As far as I know he thinks we're leaving at dawn."
"Well, we'll let him know there's no change in plans. I may not like the idea of this wedding, but I'll still be there for Hermione. No matter what."
"I don't know if I could be as calm as you are about this. Especially if I loved Herm as much as I know you do. And if I knew she loved me just as much."
"I may love her but that doesn't mean that she loves me just as much. And I will not force her to give up her wedding to someon-"
"that she loves? Please, she doesn't love him, they're friends. I saw her by your bedside, she was devistated. I know that you may not believe me but you shouldn't give up so soon."
"LIsten Ron, I know you think you're right, and you may very well be, but I will not ruin this for Mione."
"Whatever Harry, whatever..." Ron could only shake his head at him
*****************************************************************************
"Hold still, my goodness I swear you want to walk down that aisle and let a seam split." Ginny admonished
"Oh, stop it you're still younger then I am. Besides, your dresses are perfect."
"Which is exactly why I don't want you ruining my reputation." Ginny laughed.
"Oh, don't worry, you do that all by yourself."
"How Rude, this is the last time I design a Ginny original for you."
"Seriously, it's beautiful Ginny. I really like it." Hermione said although in Ginny's opinion, her voice lacked the excitement or nervousness that the normal brides she met everyday had.
"Hermione, are you ready for this? I mean I meet brides all the time and you just don't seem nervous and in my experience this is a bad sign."
"Ginny, I am nervous enough, must I show it? I mean I have had a lot on my plate in the past month and believe me after the honeymoon it will show, I'm running on pure adrenaline." Hermione may have said one thing, but she thought another,"You aren't ready for this, you don't want to marry this man, he is just a friend."
"If you say so. Just remeber I will be ready and willing to talk to you any time you want just let me know." Ginny replied.
"I'll keep that in mind." Hermione whispered.
Ginny was now positive that Hermione wasn't okay, infact she knew that she was still in love with Harry and knew that she had to do something.
"Well you look good, and I just remebered I have to meet with Ron. Change out of the dress and lay it on the table over there." GInny said pretending to be preoccupied by something else.
"Well, okay, I'll see you tonight right?"
"Yeah, yeah, you will." Ginny finshed while stuffing her wand in her purse and grabbing her cloak. While robes are the traditional outerware of the magical world Ginny preferred cloaks, and always had a matching one for every outfit.
Hermione finished changing out of the dress and laid it out onto the table. It was a beautiful dress,very simple yet elegant. It had bell sleaves that were slit to her elbow, with a liliac colored ribbon lacing it up. The bust of the dress was tulip styled with embroidered liliacs on it. It was Hermione's dream dress but she still wasn't happy with something, but she didn't know what. She checked her watch and realized that she had to get to the cater's place to double check the menu one last time.
******************************************************************************
Harry, Ron, and Devon were all sitting around a table at the outside 23rd cafe'. The cafe had been a favorite of Harry and Hermione, since they first moved to New York and they often had lunch here. One plus was that it was a wizard owned cafe, so they could get a special menu with butterbeers and other such wizarding favorites. Harrry took a sip of his butterbeer and began,"Okay, I know that you might be under the presumption that we are leaving at dawn, but we are going to leave after I stop by St. Patricks Cathedral to give Hermione my regards. After that we will head south towards Argentina, my sources say that Salabaster is headed that way. Apparently there is a major circle of wizards down there who seem to believe that Salabaster can help their cause. Devon what do you know about the magical group down there?"
"Okay according to history, magical that is, Argentina was the hot spot in the 40's for witches and wizards. Not only was it a fairly English society but it also had a witch for a First Lady. However, the English didn't really like her, she was very open to helping the poor, and herself. At that time the English down there were mostly supporters of the Dark Arts. Evita, the first lady, was very much apposed to this, which made her a prime target for opposition. However, the Descomisados, were a group of Evita supporters, they hated the English and protected Evita from the English's wrath. Everything went good for Evita until she visited Europe and declined visiting England, thus making an unforgivable snub that Evita would regret. She ended up myseriously developing cancer of the utereus and died. The Descomisados blame the English and say they used dark magic. My guess is that Salabaster is rounding up supporters and killing the Descomisados." Devon finished
"That sounds about right. I remeber Herm talking about what a great witch Eva Peron was but I really couldn't remeber what she did." Harry answered thinking back to all the times Hermione found a new role model to look up to. He would laugh it off as some sort of phase but now he realized that truly was part of Hermione's personality, finding good all over. Harry and Hermione had even gone to see the musical when it was in town, and though it was totally mugglized it still captivated Hermione. She walked out of it with such a smile on her face. Harry smiled in rememberence of it.
"Umm, Harry would you like to join the real world anytime soon?" Ron asked Harry.
"Oh, I'm sorry I was just thinking." Harry replied
"Obviously, do you mind if Ginny has lunch with us?" Ron asked Harry.
"It's no problem I have to get going and find Herm's wedding present." Harry said as he stood up,"Give Ginny my regards."
"Harry, are you positive that you can do this?" Ron asked concerned that his friend was having a harder time then he admitted.
"I'd be better if people would just stop making such a big deal about it, Hermione and I haven't been together for over a year, she's an adult and so am I. We can make our own decisions and I support hers." And with that Harry stormed of bumping Ginny on his way out.
"What's up his butt?" Ginny asked
"Oh, nothing much, Harry is being the great and wonderful best friend." Ron replied
Ginny sat down and looked at the man sitting next to her brother, her eyes captivated by the man. He had the same startling green eyes as Harry, with brilliant strawberry blonde hair and looked well built. Ginny couldn't help her heart's rapid pace.
"Ginny, I would like to introduce you to Devon Hades, and he is a collegue of mine and Harry's." Ron said, almost reading Ginny's thoughts, knowing that she found him positively dashing. "Devon, this is my sister Ginny Weasly."
"Ms. Weasly, how nice to meet you," Devon said as he took her hand, and gave it a kiss.
"Oh a pleasure honestly, and call me Ginny."
"Ginny as in Gin-NY?"
"Guilty as charged."
"My sister loves your work, I just bought her your new summer cloak."
"Well, thanks, How old is your sister?" Ginny asked
"She's 18 and adores the fashion industry, after my parents died she came to live with me."
"Oh, how horrible, well I mean about your parents, not about your sister living with you." Ginny stuttered back, "Maybe some time she came come with me to my office and get a real taste of what the industry is like."
"Really, thanks, I'm sure she'll appreciate that. But can I take you out to dinner, you know to pay you back?"
Ron had to stifle a laugh he knew that both Devon and Ginny were two of a kind, obviously both were major flirts.
"So Ginny, what did you want to talk to ME about?" Ron *sked
"Oh, well, it's about Hermione. She doesn't seem worried about the wedding, especially for such a perfectionist. I mean we are friends and I know how she would be acting if she truly cared about the wedding, she would be a bit more excited."
"Okay, I realize where you are going with this Gin, but Harry won't do anything to stop the wedding he is convinced that she loves Draco, and Harry loves Herm to much to do anything about it." Ron answered
"Well, I figured I would try. So how is Harry handiling this?"
"Well he wants to support Herm, and is convinced that this is the best thing for her. I don't think he feels he deserves her love. I mean look at how he was raised, he was told he was horrible all the time, and I think that he feels that he now has a family of sorts. He won't do anything to ruin any form of his relationship with Herm."
"So is Harry going to the wedding?"
"Well we have to leave tomorrow but he said he was going to stop by the Cathedral to give Herm her wedding present. I don't know if it's such a good idea, but he insists upon it."
"Well I am hoping for a miracle. If Harry and Hermione don't get back together then there is no hope for the rest of us hopeless romantics..."
******************************************************************************
June 27th 2002
"You told me she needed me. That she wouldn't live without me. YOU LIED TO ME. Just like all the other lies in my life all because of you and my father. WHY ME? I NEVER ASKED FOR ANY OF THIS. NOT THE TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT OR THE WARS OR ANYTHING HAVING TO DO WITH THIS STUPID SCAR ON MY FOREHEAD. Why didn't you just let me die, either time? Would it have been that hard to step aside, or say that you wanted me with you. Maybe, that's the problem, you didn't want me."
Harry crumpled to the ground around Lily Potter's grave. "Parent's are suppose to be there for their kids. YOU weren't there for me. Instead I had standby's , like the Weasly's, and Dumbledore. I have somewhere to be but the next time I see you will be too soon. I may love you but I don't forgive you for deserting me." He set a rose attop the grave and apparated away.
He stood outside the cathedral wipping the tears out of his eyes, he didn't want to ruin this day for Herm. He walked into the church knowing that this was the hardest thing he would ever have to do, harder even, then facing Voldemort.
"Excuse me, can I help you?" A woman asked Harry
"Yes I need to talk to the bride to be, where can I find her?" Harry asked
"Well she should be up the stairs and to the right, although if you are the groom you should know that it is bad luck to see her before the wedding."
"No, I'm not the groom, just a friend, and thanks."
Harry walked up the stairs and could feel himself shaking as he reached the outside of the door. He knocked.
"Who is it?" Hermione asked, Harry noticed her voice didn't sound normal, it almosted sounded hoarse from crying.
"It's me, Harry."
A/N: Sorry this took so long to post I had the flu, finals, and a major case of writers block, Infact I still do but I'm trying to work past it. Something that you can do to help me get the parts out quicker if more people reviewed. (I know a lot of you are reading this, and I give you my thanks, but I really would like to hear from you sometime.) Anyway Thanks to everyone who has reviewed.